MENLO FOOTBALL

Menlo Oaks (1-3)
vs.
#2 Linfield (6-0)
Saturday, October 30th, 2004
1:00 PM
Maxwell Field - McMinnville, Or.

LAST TIME OUT: The Oaks dropped a thrilling double overtime game to the Whitworth Pirates 41-35 on Saturday afternoon in Atherton. Freshman Dustin Guglielmelli threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns and led the team with 95 yards on the ground for Menlo in his first career start, but the Pirates scored a touchdown on the first play of the second overtime after holding the Oaks offense to get the win. Whitworth got on the board first when Kyle Havorcroft took it in from three yards out. After getting the ball back from Menlo, the Pirates scored again, with Havercroft scoring from three yards out for the second time. After both teams went scoreless in the second quarter, The Pirates took a 14-0 lead into the locker room. Menlo finally got on the board in the third quarter when Guglielmelli hooked up with Freshman Kevin Lyle on a nice fade route for a 31-yard touchdown pass to the corner of the end zone. Whitworth answered on their next drive, when Pirate fullback Chris Ahsing plowed in from five yards to keep the Pirates up by 14 points. At that point the Menlo passing game began to heat up. Guglielmelli connected with senior Marvin Stickel for a 24-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-14. Stickel led the Oaks with nine catches for 160 yards and two touchdown catches. Whitworth again answered, scoring on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Joel Clark to Kevin Snell. Guglielmelli then took the game over. He would take the Oaks on a four play, 49-yard drive, connecting with Stickel to from 27 yards to cut the lead to seven. After the Oaks defense held the Pirates, taking the ball over on downs, The Oaks were content on riding the arm of their freshman quarterback. Guglielmelli completed five of six passes on the drive, connecting on the game-tying touchdown with senior Russ Fukushima with just 19 seconds left in the game. Regulation would end tied at 35-35. Menlo got the ball first in overtime, and promptly scored in four plays. Freshman tailback Eddie Conner took scored from 3 yards out. Joel Clark answered that touchdown with a five yard run, sending the game to a second overtime. Whitworth held Menlo scoreless in the second bonus period and looked to take the game on their first play. Clark looked for, and found Jared Thomas in the corner of the end zone for a 25-yard scoring pass to win the game.

THE OREGON CONNECTION: There is one player on the Oaks roster that hails from Oregon. Freshman defensive back Richard Vedder is a native of Eugene and has appeared in two games and has recorded a tackle.

THE SERIES: Linfield leads 5-0.

LAST SEASON: Last season, Linfield knocked off Menlo, 30-24. Trailing by 20 points, Menlo staged a fourth quarter rally and nearly pulled the game out. The win preserved the Wildcats\\\\\\\' 20-game regular-season winning streak.

WHEN THE OAKS HAVE THE BALL: Freshman Dustin Guglielmelli emerged last Saturday as a threat with both his arm and his legs. In just six quarters this season, Guglielmelli has thrown for 462 yards and five touchdowns, while only throwing one interception. On the ground the freshman quarterback has run for120 yards, averaging over five yards a carry. Senior Marvin Stickel continues to be a solid target, catching 32 passes for 414 yards and six touchdowns. On the ground, the Oaks look to freshman Eddie Conner to handle the load. Conner has carried for 342 yards in five games, an average of 65 yards a game.

THE WILDCATS ON DEFENSE: Linfield is giving up 404 yards of total offense this season. 163 yards on the ground and 240 through the air. Brandon Olsen leads the team with 62 tackles, almost 20 more the next closest Wildcat. The Wildcats defense has intercepted 10 passes this season, led by O.J. Gulley, with three.

WHEN THE WILDCATS HAVE THE BALL: Quarterback Brett Elliot is the total offense leader in the NCAA division III ranks, with 407 yards a game and the #3 passer in the country as well. The former University of Utah quarterback has thrown for 2,386 yards in six games. He has connected for 29 touchdowns. Elliot’s favorite target this season has been Casey Allen, who leads the Wildcats with 44 catches for 683 yards and 11 touchdowns. Brandon Hazenberg has 37 catches and six touchdowns. The leading ground gainer this season for the Wildcats has been Riley Jenkins. Jenkins has 357 yards on the season and four touchdowns.

THE OAKS ON DEFENSE: The duo of defensive backs Kenny Wolfe and John North lead the defense for the Oaks. Wolfe has recorded a team-high 34.5 tackles, including five and a half tackles for loss, including one sack. North has registered 34 tackles and has one interception on the year from his safety spot. As a defense, the Oaks are giving up 363 yards of total offense by the opposition. The pass defense is giving up 200 yards per game. That is sure to be tested by Linfield’s passing game